When We Were Strangers
by StoryQuipster
Summary: [Collection of Kogkag AUs] Or thirty ways in which Kagome never met Koga.


**Title** : Sweeter Than Fiction (Or the one where they meet in a coffee shop)  
 **Rating** : K+  
 **Prompt** : Any of the Coffee shop Aus  
 **Requested by** : Anonymous  
 **Author's Note:** So, I just adore this pairing and Koga's love for Kagome makes me melt into a puddle of sparkly goo. Which is why I'm pleasantly surprised to find that seven or eight people requested kogkag fics from me in tumblr. The request asked me to pick from any of the coffee shop aus I reblogged but this actually doesn't use any of them (I hope that's okay). Sharp-eyed readers who also ship Jinko will notice that I kind of lifted a couple of lines/themes from one of my other Jinko fics. Summary says thirty because that's what I'm aiming for. This oneshot series is inspired by the fic about the five ways in which Rogue never met Gambit by Flashindie

* * *

When her grandfather tells her that the shrine's income has been dipping dangerously low, Kagome decides to help out by getting a job. She applies to a couple of restaurants and cafes but the only place that calls her back is the Starbucks at the Chiyoda-ku area.

It isn't so bad. The pay is decent and the store is located near the subway so she doesn't really have to walk far to get to the train station. Plus, the manager is really kind and he knows that she's a student so he's allowed her schedule to work around her school hours. Sometimes, when her shift ends late, he even insists on asking someone or walking her, himself to the station to make sure that she gets to the train safe and sound.

The branch is smack dab in the middle of Central Tokyo so she comes across a lot of people from the university. A couple of friends come by and when they see her working the counter, they chat with her until the shift lead shoos them away. Miroku and Sango come in during one of her early morning shifts and they bring along Shippo, her little neighbor who's in grade school. Kagome hands Shippo a cookie and gives Miroku and Sango refills "on the house" and drops change from her wallet into the register to cover the cost after they leave.

Inuyasha comes in on a Friday and he's bringing Kikyo along with him. The two of them order one Chai iced drink with straws and Kagome giggles a little because it's adorable and she thinks that she's never seen Inuyasha be this sweet before. Inuyasha shoots her a dirty look when she tells him that and she just wryly smiles at him as he and Kikyo wave goodbye and walk outside into the streets, hand in hand.

There are a couple of people she sees who are from the University but who she doesn't really know. One of them is this tall, blue-eyed, tawny-skinned guy with long hair tied in a ponytail whom she recognizes as a member of the track team. She's never seen him before in person but his face is plastered on all the big, congratulatory tarpaulins in the university.

He comes in one late afternoon with two guys. One of them has his hair up in a mohawk and the other has dyed a strip of his white hair, black. When he sees her, he sorts of blinks a couple of times, as if he's shocked while his friends both start laughing under their breath and nudging him.

Despite herself, Kagome frowns. She can't help but feel that they're somehow making fun of her.

"What can I get for you?" she stiffly says. Her head is tipped upwards because he's a great deal taller than her. They all are actually. She fiddles with her apron, suddenly feeling unbelievably small.

He grins at her and makes a move to lean against the counter but before he can, the guy with the striped hair says, "Chocolate chip cream!"

The guy in the ponytail glares at him, annoyed and his friend takes a step back, cowering a little. Kagome frowns. Yes, he was interrupted but that's no reason to be such an asshole to his friend. She purposely turns away from him and faces his two other friends.

"Size?"

"Tall for me, with extra whipped cream," Striped Hair Guy says. Kagome notices that he's purposely put a great deal of distance between himself and Ponytail Guy.

"Same order for me," Mohawk Guy says.

"And you? The same?" Kagome asks, not once bothering to face him. Ponytail Guy just furrows his brow in confusion and distractedly nods.

She starts making their orders and after a few seconds of silence, Mohawk Guy starts making small talk. When he asks her if she also goes to the University of Tokyo, she nods her head and introduces herself. He returns the favor by introducing himself as Hakkaku and the Striped Hair Guy as Ginta and the Ponytail Guy as Koga. Apparently, they're both taking Biology although Koga is a Political Science Major on an athletic scholarship.

"I know," Kagome says as she drizzles Hakkaku's drink with chocolate syrup. "I've seen the posters."

"Really?" Koga says as he flashes her a smile. He's been oddly quiet for the last few minutes although hearing that Kagome recognizes him, seems to have perked him up a little. Kagome stiffens, suddenly aware that what she's just said makes it seems as if she's interested in him.

And she most decidedly is _not_.

"It's hard not to. Your smarmy grin is kind of everywhere," she shrugs. Ginta and Hakkaku start giggling.

Koga just stares at her as if he's been slapped. Kagome bites her lip and suddenly regrets saying it.

But then, he starts grinning at her again, unaffected and the awkwardness between them sort of dispels. He says, "That's what happens when you're the track team's star player."

She just snorts, awed at the fact that he's just said that without a trace of irony. They make small talk as she prepares the rest of their drinks and as she hands Koga his, he sort of squares his shoulders and gives her a small smile.

"Hey, do you get a break?" he asks her.

She presses her lips together, a little confused as to why he's even asking. The two of them barely know each other and he hasn't exactly participated in the conversation they've just had right now. She figures that perhaps he's just trying to make small talk.

"I already took it," she says. It's not a lie. Her break was two hours ago and she spent most of it walking around the area and looking at the clothes in all the shops.

There's a flash of disappointment in his eyes but when he says "Okay," he says it in an easygoing manner, as if he doesn't really care one way or the other.

He waves goodbye before walking out of the shop and into the street

* * *

Shippo hangs out with her one morning because his class ends early and his parents aren't home yet. He zips back and forth in the shop, sometimes pausing to come up to her and grab at her apron. The shift lead, Soshi, is annoyed and wants her to bring him outside or leave him in a daycare somewhere. But Shippo's parents won't be back until the evening and they've sort of asked her to look after him for awhile.

She's just about to get into an argument with him when the shop doors ring open and Koga strides in. He smiles at her as he places his palms on the countertop.

"Hey."

"Hey," she says. "The usual?"

Well, he's actually only ordered it once but from her experience, people usually order the same thing over and over again.

His brows furrow in confusion. "What?"

Before she can reply, the shift lead pulls at her arm and snippily says, "Kagome! I'm going out for a break. Make sure that you deal with the kid before I get back, okay?"

Kagome regards him unhappily. "Okay."

He walks off into the back room and she looks at Shippo from the corner of her eye. His face is pressed up against the glass.

"Kid?"

"My neighbor, Shippo," Kagome says. "I used to babysit for him. His parents are out right now."

"He's cute."

"Yeah. But I'm going to have to ask one of my friends to get him. Or buy him something so he'll stay put and sit down." She cross her arms and purses her lips. "I don't even know what Soshi's deal is. It's not like the shop is full."

"I'll look after him for you."

"What?"

He nods. "Yeah. I can get him a piece of cake or something and that drink you made for me and my friends yesterday. And maybe talk to him or something so he won't get bored."

"I can't possibly impose on you—''

"Kagome, it's okay," he says. He gives her a lopsided grin. "I have nothing to do for the rest of the day. I've got time to kill."

Before she can protest even further, he turns away from her and calls, "Hey! Kid!"

Shippo turns to look at them and Koga gestures for him to come closer. Shippo scampers over towards them and stares at Koga with curious eyes.

"Kagome, who's he? Is he your boyfriend?" he asks.

Koga chuckles, amused while Kagome's cheeks redden.

"No. He's just um...he's just my friend—''

"Wait! I know you! You're Roukan Koga! You broke the record of the fastest man in Japan!" Shippo eagerly tugs at Koga's pant leg. "Hey, is it true that you're going to go to the Olympics next year?"

He nods his head, not a hint of doubt or anxiety in his voice. "Yep."

"You've passed try-outs?"

"Not yet. But I'm sure I will."

He bends down so that he's eye level with Shippo before cocking his head towards the glass display. "Hey, wanna get some cake? It'll be my treat."

"I want a donuts! And hot chocolate!" Shippo excitedly says. Koga nods and Kagome rings them up along with Koga's order of Chocolate Chip Cream, still dumbfounded.

As Koga carefully herds Shippo to a table by the window, the corners of Kagome's lips quirk upwards into a smile.

She spends the rest of the afternoon thinking that Koga's actually a really nice guy after all.

* * *

Koga shows up to one of her evening shifts and since it's no longer busy, he finishes his Chocolate Chip Cream by the counter and talks with her. It's become a sort of routine for her to prepare the drink before he even comes. She practically has his schedule memorized and he usually comes after track practice so she wants to make sure that he doesn't have to wait too long for his drink.

He tells her about how he has a big chance at being picked to go to the Olympics next year and she sort of jokes that he should take her with him because she's always wanted to see Brazil. Then, unexpectedly, he regards her with a serious look and says that if he gets picked, he's allowed to bring three people with him and since he only really has his mom and dad, he can still bring one other person. He doesn't follow it up by asking her though and Kagome decides that despite the serious tone of his voice, he must've been joking.

She tells him about how she's planning to participate in a dig in Toro. She's a history major and although juniors usually aren't asked to join archaeological digs, her grades have been exemplary and she's written quite a bit about the late Yayoi period, so her professor invited her to come along as an intern.

"Grandpa's a little worried because Shizuoka is pretty far from here and I've never been gone from the house for too long," she says, wiping the counter.

"You can always reason out that at least it's not as far as Brazil."

Kagome laughs. "Yeah. There's always that."

The lights suddenly dim and the shift lead tells her that they're closing in a few minutes. Koga frowns and stares at the clock.

"It's nearly eleven," he says.

"I know. This branch closes late because it's in a busy area," Kagome says as she unties her apron and begins to undo her bun.

"You'll be walking home by yourself at this time of the night?"

She shrugs. "It's okay. I'm used to it. The train station is near and the manager always gets someone to walk me over there."

"I'll walk with you today."

"Oh no, I couldn't let you—''

"Kagome, it's fine." He gives her an easygoing smile. "I'm gonna pass by that station anyway."

She looks at him and tries to ignore the warm little glow that's thrumming in her chest. "If you're sure."

"Of course."

She changes out of her uniform and when she comes out to meet him, he stares at her for a good thirteen seconds before looking away and muttering something about how they need to get going.

"What's with that look you gave me?"

"What look?"

"That look you gave me, just now."

He shrugs. "It's just that...I've just never seen you with your hair down before."

Her cheeks suddenly feel warm although she isn't exactly sure why.

"I've never seen you with your hair down either." She thoughtfully looks at it. "Aren't you ever going to cut it?"

"No way. I'm like Samson." He flicks his ponytail. "My hair's my lucky charm. Can't win the competition and get into the Olympics without it."

"You must be so nervous."

"Nah. I'm going to get in," he says. He sounds confident enough but she's known him long enough to recognize that the twitch of his jaw means that he's actually very, very nervous.

"Yeah. I'm sure you'll make it."

"Of course, I will. I mean, have you met me?"

She just giggles and calls him a braggart.

He insists on walking her all the way home and when Kagome declines, he just smiles at her and grabs both of her hands in his and tells her to have a safe trip. She thinks it's an incredibly sweet gesture and the whole ride home, the only think she thinks about is how warm his fingers feel against hers.

* * *

The next day she asks permission from her manager and the shift lead and gets off from work earlier than usual. Today is the day when the Japanese Olympic Committee comes to see Koga so she knows that he probably won't be stopping by the coffee shop.

She buys him a cup of tall Chocolate Chip Cream and rushes through the subways to school. She wants to make sure that the drink is still cold when she gets it to him. She knows that the last thing he probably needs is a cupful of chocolate and sugar before his big run but she figures that he can always drink it afterwards.

When she gets to the track field, she finds him stretching, surrounded by a couple of beefy looking guys. Ginta and Hakkaku are with him and they're wearing the school colors, probably in support of him.

She hangs back a little before gathering up her courage and marching over towards him.

He doesn't notice her up until she manages to push her way past a couple of guys playing with a soccer ball. Ginta grins at her while Hakkaku lightly kicks Koga in the shin.

"What's this for?" he says, smiling when he sees his name and the little message ("Good luck! I'm wishing you all the best!") with an emoji she's scrawled at the side.

"It's for you," she mumbles, embarrassed. "For good luck."

The other guys surrounding him stare at her and she places her hands behind her back, feeling oddly timid. They're all a good deal taller than her and they're all staring at her with an intent look so she can't help but feel like a tiny rabbit that's surrounded by a pack of wolves.

"You came here to watch me?" The cocky grin on his face is back again.

She shrugs and tries to make it sound as if she's unaffected. "I don't really have anything better to do."

He grabs her hands and gives her a serious look. Kagome flushes and inwardly wonders if this is going to be a regular thing between them. "I'm glad that you've been thinking about me."

"Um...yeah," she replies. Honestly, she has no idea why she's so flustered right now.

Then, gathering her wits back, she jokingly offers, "I've made leaps and bounds in archery practice because of you."

She's in the archery team and up for the position of captain when Kikyo graduates.

His smile just grows wider and he stands up, languidly stretching the moment he's on his feet. He calls Ginta over and hands him the cup, saying, "I'll drink it after. _Take good care of it."_

He says it as if the cup is a bar of gold and despite herself, Kagome can't help the tingle that's slowly throbbing from the base of her chest.

She watches along with everyone else as Koga sprints the one hundred meters first and then, the four hundred. When the three guys from the committee call Koga over, Kagome grabs Hakkaku's arm and nearly crushes it in anticipation.

Koga suddenly turns to face them, jubilant and before Kagome can even think about what she's doing, she rushes over to him and tackles him into a hug.

* * *

He comes by the next day looking purposeful and when Kagome hands him the cup, he barely even acknowledges it.

"Hey," he says. "What are you doing after?"

She blinks at him. "What?"

"You get off early today right? What are you doing after?"

She's about to say "nothing" but then she remembers that she promised to help her grandfather fix up the well house and the shrine arch. He usually does it by himself but he's pushing eighty now and she doesn't want him to get into an accident.

"Going home," she says because she knows that if she tells him that she's going to be fixing up arches or hauling up heavy boxes, he's going to insist on helping her and she doesn't really want to take time away from his training. She doesn't want him to lose or something, on account of her.

"Oh. Okay." He gives her a little salute. "Bye."

Before Kagome can reply, he storms out of the shop and slams the door after him. Kagome, frowns suddenly feeling annoyed and confused at his sudden, angry behavior.

She spends the rest of the day in a sour mood, wondering over and over again what she's said to make him so mad.

* * *

The next day, she waits for him until the shop closes and he doesn't show up. It's what finally make her realize that she's got a bit of a crush on him.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have cared this much.

Or be this disappointed.

* * *

Three days later, he stomps into the shop and elbows the people waiting in line and she just stares at him, open-mouthed. His brows are drawn together in determination and he doesn't flinch, even when a couple of customers yell and curse at him. Kagome stops stirring the cup of latte she has in her hand and stares at him, confused at his impatience.

"Okay," he says, placing both of his palms flat on the countertop. "You need to stop."

"Excuse me?"

"You need to stop making me Chocolate Chip Cream."

"What?"

"I hate chocolate. It's too sweet and it's bad for my body. _I'm an athlete_." He says the last sentence as if it's the most obvious thing in the world and Kagome is an idiot for not getting it.

"Well, sorry! I thought you liked it!" she indignantly says. "It's what you ordered!"

She folds her arms, suddenly annoyed. He doesn't show up for three days and then, he just comes barging into the coffee shop, drawing stares from all the customers and co-workers. She doesn't care what his deal is. She is so done with him right now.

"I never actually ordered it. You just kept making it," he says. The line behind him grows longer although strangely enough, nobody complains. They're all intently watching her and Koga. "I've gained like, three pounds since I've started coming here. And it makes me feel slow and sluggish whenever I run. _I hate it_."

"Fine. I don't care," she grits out.

"No!" He scrubs a hand through his face, frustrated. He fixes his gaze on the counter for a few moments, as if composing himself. Kagome just glares at him, unmoving. She can get fired for this but she doesn't care. If she gets fired, then at least she'll never have to see him ever again.

"What, I'm trying to say is that I hate that shit—''

"Yes, you've already told me—''

"But I kept coming back for it," he finishes. He gives her a serious gaze and she opens her mouth to say something but he cuts her off by grabbing her hands and placing it close to his chest. "I didn't want to correct you or whatever because it's just so _fucking cute_ that you always have it ready and waiting for me."

"Oh," she replies, voice small. She tries to keep herself from smiling but she knows she does anyway, because he does too.

At this point, he seems to have realized that he's causing a scene because he leans in closer and says in a low voice, "I've basically put my entire athletic career on the line for you. So I don't want to hear another stupid excuse about why you can't go out with me tonight."

He's incredibly close right now and when he asks her to go out with him again, she stands on her tiptoes, leans forward and presses her lips against his as a response. A few people erupt in applause and her manager mutters something that suspiciously sounds like "Finally" but Kagome can barely hear them over the sound of her blood roaring against her ears. His tongue grazes her lips and she knows that he wants her to part them, so she does. As he places a hand on her hip and slants his mouth against hers, deepening the kiss, she grabs a fistful of his shirt to steady herself. When they part, her eyes flutter a little and he smirks at her.

"See you later, then?" he asks, cocky.

Kagome grins at him and nods. "Don't be late."


End file.
